I replaced a Shimano 600 6207 (with wavy nuts) with an A9 recently. I couldn't adjust the Stronglight correctly at first - I found the point where play disappeared and tightened it, but then it bound when the fork was turned 180 degrees. In careful installations with Campy Record and Chorus headsets I get a smooth turn all around, so I took it to the local shop, since I don't have aligning and facign tools.

Local shop aligned and faced the head tube and reinstalled it ($20.00 labor), resulting in a smooth turn all the way around. The head tech wasn't real pleased with the smoothness, but he didn't see Stronglights often, and they are thought to not be quite as free as a ball-bearing HS.

For me the test for free-turning is to install the front wheel and the bars with brifters, then lift the bike with the front wheel lower than the rear so the front hangs in a straight ahead position. Tilt the bike back and forth a little at a time and notice how the front wheel turns freely due to gravity. It should turn very freely and readily, limited only by its own inertia, not by friction or sticking.

Road Fan